Packing ring sizing machine



Nov. 10, 1936. w. DAVIES 2,060,179

PACKING RING SIZING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheetl r L *r-"--7-'T \gcjfiwatzzzgr 3 vHHHHHIH Wgyzze Dar/fed WW Nov. 10, 1936. w DAVIES PACKING RING SIZING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 18, 1936 Nov. 10, 1936. W. DAVIES 2,060,179

PACKING RING SIZING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,060,179 PACKING RING SIZING MACHINE Wayne Davies, Evanston, 111. Application January 18, 1936, Serial No. 59,729

This invention rel 5 Claims.

ates to machines for working leather, or like pliable material, which goes into the construction of packing rings, particularly rings of large diameter for use in machines operating under high pressure.

The new machine a finishing machine act dimension, the

is designed particularly as for forming rings to an exstock operated upon being previously formed into coils by a manufacturing process described in applicants copending applications for patents Serial Method of forming packing October 9, 1935,

No. 44,231, filed rings, and Serial No. 15,353, filed April 8, 1935, Forming packing ring stock.

The new machine ing upon the special is also intended for operatforms of packing described in applicants copending application for patent Serial No. 51,258, filed November 23, 1935, Packings, but is capable of completely processing rings from strip stock.

The objects of the improved machine invention are to provide an for forming packing rings of U, cup or flange cross section of any required diameter in the larger sizes of rings and without the use of customary moulds or interfitting steel rings of exact diameter for any one size of packing, and to avoid the expense and deficiencies of prior processes of manufacturing packing rings.

It is also a purpose of the invention to avoid distortion and weakening of the material operated upon by undue stretching and forcing of the same into form as by the interfitting ring process.

It is chiefly the purpose of the invention to provide means for manufacturing any size of ring within a wide range by use of chine.

The objects of the by means of 2. const drawings, wherein:

a single mainvention are accomplished ruction as illustrated in the Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the improved packing forming machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the main rolling head.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fi 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the formfragmentary detail of the forming for changing the diameter Fig. '7 is a sectional detail taken on the line '|l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan detail of auxiliary pressure rolls.

Fig. 9 is a sectional View as indicated by line 99, Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarg rolls.

ed plan detail showing guide The most common methods employed for the manufacture of U packings, cup packings and flange packings make use of rings or moulds of steel which are pressed together, with wetted, sammied, or hot wax impregnated leather therebetween.

In making a cup packing by the use of steel rings, the wax-treated hot leather is placed over one ring and then another ring of lesser diameter allowing the necessary clearance for the thickness of the leather is telescoped downwardly into the outer ring with the leather between the rings forming the cup wall. The drumhead of leather across the diameter of the smaller ring is necessarily drawn very tight, stretched and thinned considerably.

The heel of the cup is drawn over the outside corner of the inner ring and is so thinned by the tension of the drumhead that the packing is somewhat weaker at this corner, where there should be maximum strength, than at the side wall of the cup.

When moulds are used in making cup packings, it is possible by special arrangements to avoid some of the objectionable thinning or weakening of the packing where it is preferable to have the maximum strength; but such machines are in common use only for making small cup packings.

The moulding process, however, is not practical for flange or cup packings because it cannot be easily applied to that work, and particularly on account of the great expense of moulds for packings of large diameter.

The old methods of manufacture are efiicient and economical in the smaller sizes; for example, where cups are required with solid backs, that is, no large hole in the center of the cup disc and in the case of flange packings where the top of the hat or crown is cut away. As the size of such packings increases, the waste of cut away leather from the bottom of many cups and from the crowns of all flange packings increases greatly and there never has been a method developed for making such packings which is equal to the belt-lap idea used for U packings.

The improved machine is intended only for making packings of ring form, whatever their cross section may be. Its most distinguishing feature with reference to prior methods is that the packing may be reinforced to resist wear and pressure where reinforcement is desirable and with reinforcing materials that cannot withstand the old ring drawing or moulding processes. If the reinforcing material is other than leather, it does not always draw properly.

The new machine makes it possible to draw reinforced leather into cup or flange form with the gripped flange either inside the circle as in a cup packing, or outside the circle as in packing and this can be successfully done whether the material is leather of several plies, or leather with a combination of other fibrous material, or fabric. The material is not subjected to stretching across the lips of a moulding ring and does not need to be tensioned in any direction nearly as much as is required to draw leather in rings or moulds. Therefore, as the material is subjected to less distortion, it is in better condition for long service and wear life in a cylinder, or around a plunger or rod or a rotating shaft.

This new system of making packings allows the designer to use the various kinds of materials in packings to the best advantage for service under conditions of abrasion or heat and to suit the texture and composition of the pliable fibrous materials to the parts of packing where they will serve best. For instance, in a reinforced U-packing, it is desirable to have a soft wall for sealing and a hard base for shear or pinching in the space between the packing support edge and the plunger across the gap of the unsupported area. Any two materials which answer the conditions and which can be bonded together in continuous strips can be formed in the machine.

Also in the production of U-packings of large diameter, from eight inches up to sixty inches outside diameter, it has been common practice to employ interfitting rings of forged steel for drawing the stock to U-form. The rings are costly and the method is slow, the production from one set of rings of the larger sizes rarely exceeding more than five or six packings per day. Each set of rings is only good for one diameter of packing and only one width of section. A change in a diameter or section requires a complete, new set of these rings and as there are no standards in plunger sizes, a packing is just as likely to be required to have a 15 inch outside diameter as a 15 inch. The two sizes require two sets of rings, even though the section size (width across the legs of a section) are the same.

In this respect, the present machine employs only one ring of comparatively cheap cold-rolled fiat stock for any one size of packing. This ring interlocks at the joint and is not even welded.

U-packings can be made on the same machine in any form, single wall standard U-packings, or packings that are reinforced at any point of any section, are of any width or height and of a combination of materials.

A principal feature of the machine illustrated in the drawings is a table upon which are mounted a plurality of pairs of rollers on vertical axes, some of the pairs of rollers being radially shiftable upon the table top toward and away from each other, so that the pairs of rollers may receive steel rings of different diameters according to the diameter of the packing required, one ring only being used for one size of packing.

A common drive means for the rollers is arranged to be effective regardless of the radial distance of the rollers from a common center. These rollers have the function of forming a packing over a single ring. Means are provided for spacing the rollers of each pair a different distance apart and for regulating their pressure and the machine also is preferably equipped with intermediate idling guide rollers.

In Figure 1, I represents a table top upon which rests a steel ring 2. This ring passes between a pair of pressure rollers 3 and 4. The roller 3 is stationary with reference to all the other rollers and is a driven roller. The pairs of rollers 3-4 and 5-6 and 'I8 are located apart around the ring.

The rollers 6 and 8 are driven by worms such as are indicated at 9, Fig. 2, on shafts I D and II. The reversible driving motor for rollers 3, 6 and 8 is shown at I2 as having a gear or chain drive I3 connecting it with shaft I4. This shaft, through the bevel gearing I5, drives the transverse shaft I6 which, at its ends, is connected by bevel gearings I1 and I8 with the shafts I0 and I I.

The worms 9 are slidable along a spline so as to be effective in all the radial positions of the pairs of rollers 56 and I8 away from the main forming rollers 3 and 4.

The pairs of rollers 5-6 or 1-8, as detailed in Fig. 7, have bearings in supports I9 which are dovetailed at 20 in ways 2| formed in the table top I.

Each pair of rollers 5-6 or l-8 may be positioned any desired distance radially from the main forming rollers 3 and 4 by sliding their supports along the ways 2|.

The supports I9 are located in their set positions by the eccentric clamps 22. The roller 5 is movable toward and away from the roller 6 roller 7 is movable toward and away from roller 8 by means of adjusting screws 23 which engage slide bearings 24 for these rollers.

Between and below each pair of rollers 5 G and 78 is a horizontal idling support roller 25 upon which ring 2 may rest.

The main drive roller 3 is fast to a vertical shaft 26 having the beveled gear connection 21 with main drive shaft I4, and this vertical shaft also, through beveled gearing 28, drives a roller 29 which rotates on a horizontal axis above ring 2.

The roller 4 which coacts with roller 3, and the rollers 5 and I which coact with the rollers 5 and 8, are driven through frictional engagement with the packing 30 shown in Fig. 3 in place on ring 2.

Roller 4 is adjusted toward and away from roller 3 by the screws SI (Fig. 3), the shaft 32 for this roller having bearings in a slide 33 which is movable along ways 34 of a casting 35 by means of the screw 3|. Casting 35 is hinged at 35 on a fixed bracket 31. This casting forms the bearing for top pressure roller 29 and the casting with rollers 29 and 4 may be swung upwardly around hinge 36, away from forming ring 2. It is latched in its lower operative position by means of screw 38 carried by toggle arm 39 pivoted to the table top at 40.

The three pairs of intermediate guide and idling rollers M and 42 are carried by supports 43 which are slidable along ways 44 in the table and are latched at the required radial distance from the main pressure rollers 3 and 4 by eccentric latches 45. As explained in connection with Fig. 3, the roller 4 is adjustable toward and away from roller 3, thus uniformly varying the pressure exerted against the legs of the packing formed around ring 2. But the shaft 32 for this roller carries eccentrics 46 and 41 and on these eccentrics are auxiliary rollers or discs 46 and 49. By turning the shaft through handle 50, the position of the rollers 48 and 49 may be altered with reference to the roller 4, and thus serve for transmitting pressure to the top of ring 2 and through the ring to one wall of the packing in excess of that transmitted to the opposite wall and foot of the packing or these conditions may be reversed when the packing is being rolled above ring 2 instead of below. Then the roller 49 is made most effective. The eccentrics are locked in set position by the nut 5|.

Ring 2 is formed to interlock at its meeting ends as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 with or without the insert 52. The purpose of the insert is to increase the diameter of the ring so as to take care of the packing before the lapped joint is made therein. After the lapped joint is made, the insert is removed and the packing is rerolled to iron the joint out uniformly with the remainder of the packing.

Spring pressed pins 53 which look the insert into place are released by pushing against discs 54 which are rigid with the pins and may be reached through holes 55 in the ring and in the insert.

In order to regulate the temperature of the packing ring 3|] during the rolling process, the machine is provided with electric heaters, for instance as indicated at 56, (Fig. 3). These are adjusted for pressure by screws 51.

In using the machine either for the complete forming of packing rings or merely for finishing rings, which have been made according to the process described in applicants copending applications, Serial No. 44,231, filed October 9, 1934, and Serial No. 15,353, filed April 8, 1935, the packing material is either placed to encircle the bottom of ring 2, as indicated in Fig. 3, or over the top of the ring, according to the type of packing being manufactured, and whether maximum thickness of the packing is on the inside or outside leg thereof. In Fig. 3, which shows the main rolling head, the adjustable sizing ring 2 is shown resting in a reinforced U-packing section 30 between the driven roller 3 and compound pressure control idler roller 4. As shown in this view the pressure control idler is set for pressure against the double leg of the packing between the driving roller on the left and the sizing ring and the upper pressure roller 48.

The pressure control idler is arranged so that when the bottom of the packing is to be rolled and the packing is inverted or set on top of the sizing ring, the idler shaft can be turned or varied to less than maximum pressure, so that the bottom disc 49 is brought into contact. The arrangement is suchthat pressure can be applied on the inner 0r reinforced leg or on the outer or single leg.

In cases where the outer leg is to be reinforced for packings which are to be applied to the end of a plunger, reversals in arrangement and operation to that above described are sometimes needed. Back and forth ironing of a joint or thick spot in a ring is provided for by use of a reversible motor.

The shaft 32 is eccentric where it forms bearings for the discs 48 and 49 but the center portion of the shaft is concentric with the top and bottom bearings.

When pressure is required against the outer or single leg of the packing for rolling it smooth, the center portion of the pressure control idler is used. Considerable pressure is obtained by use of screw 3| which slides the control idler carriage along the track in the frame.

Pressure on the bottom of the packing, whether the packing is over or under the adjustable sizing ring, is obtained through the toggle latch and screw 39 and 38 respectively.

The rotation of the packing sizing ring and the packing thereon is effected by the frictional pressure driven roller on the inside of the ring and from the top roller 29 against the steel No. 2 ring on the bottom of the packing, if it is being rolled .are then reformed to the position. Needed variations in are taken care of by in an inverted speeds of the driven rollers the proper beveled gears.

The rotation of the packing on its adjustable sizing ring around the table by the driven rollers in the main head is assisted by the auxiliary rollers, as detailed in Fig. '7.

In applicants copending applications for patents there is described a method of forming stock for packing rings which produces a reinforced laminated structure varying in thickness and bent to U-form and coiled in helices of considerable length so that when a packing of any desired diameter is needed, a portion of the helix is out off to make up that diameter and the lapped joints where the ends of the ring meet. This length is properly trimmed on the lips and coiled to a substantially smaller diameter than the average U-packing required. The packing material is then warmed so that the wax impregnation is softened and is laid around the adjustable sizing ring into which the lap length insert has been fitted, as in Fig. 6. The packing blank is out to such length so that the blunt ends thereof are spaced sufiiciently on the ring to allow for extension under the rolling process.

The ring and packing are then placed on the table and the main, auxiliary and intermediate rollers are adjusted to properly contact, according to the packing diameter and section widths. For the first rolling, the packing is placed on the bottom with thering riding in the channel and the rolls are started, thus rotating the packing around the table.

Heat is applied through heating. elements at various points when required to hold the waxed leather in a soft state for the rolling process.

After the packing has been allowed to cool and set to the new diameter, the final circumference is determined and any excess of leather resulting from the rolling process is cut off the end. Both ends are then dewaxed in a separate machine and the beveled laps are scarfed on the temporarily flattened stock inside and outside. The laps are then roughened and size-coated with cellulose cement which is allowed to dry and a second size-coat is applied. The packing ends U-section and rewaxed in a separate machine.

The packing is then sizing ring from which lap length insert 52 has been removed and the rewaxed section is rolled down to uniform thickness.

After the lap section has cooled and set in the proper form the packing is the excess wax is removed from the surface of the sizing coat of cement on the lap surfaces. These are then covered with a sticking coat and clamps are applied to the lap section on sides and bottom of the U-packing so that all parts are under pressure until the cement has set. Then by further rolling and the application of heat, any uneven parts will be smoothed out, leaving the packing ring of uniform curvature and complete for use.

When a preformed helix is uncoiled to a greatly increased diameter and set on the sizing ring, the new curvature must be obtained by stretching the inside leg of the U and compressing slightly the outside leg. The inner leg is of double thickness and in manufacture has not been subjected to tension quite equal to that applied to the thinner outside leg. The inner or thick reinforced leg is thus capable of slight extension or lengthening under placed on the adjustable spread slightly and the pressure of the rollers.

This inside leg pressure is transferred across the packing section through the sizing ring by means of the compound pressure control roller which is compounded to provide eccentric elements adjustable against the outer exposed surface of the steel sizing ring.

The sizing rings required are usually of the same width of steel stock; that is of the same height above the table top when in operative position.

These rings, however, are of different thickness, depending upon the width of packing section which is to be rolled; for instance, a inch section packing is quite common. If this is made of inch stock, the three pieces of leather will total a thickness of T9? inches and the ring will be of inch stock. If the plies are of inch material, the ring will be of an inch thick, and if the three plies are A; inch thick, the ring thickness will be inches.

While some rings are of rather thin stock to stand the direct pressure of the pressure control disc against them in bending stress if flat, the ring as used is curved and thus strengthened against the pressure of the disc on the upper or lower edges.

The machine is also used to make packing by what is now commonly called the belt lap method for making a single wall U-packing; that is, when a plain packing is required having no reinforced wall on either the inner or outer leg. In such use of the machine, an endless belt is prepared with a circumference equal to that of the outer leg of the finished packing and is of substantial width to make the required packing height, allowing an extra width for section width and trimming of lips.

This belt of leather is soaked in hot wax and folded over the proper section of sizing ring without the use of the lap length insert. The sizing ring has its ends interlocked and is of a circumference equal to that of the packing channel or the mean packing circumference.

The ring is placed on the table with the pressure roll head open, and the hot soft endless leather belt is folded around the ring from the outside over the upper edge of the ring and this edge may be either round or square with slightly rounded corners, depending upon the section of packing required.

After the belt width is folded equally over the ring, the inside leg is slightly compressed, while the section is generally that of an inverted U. The length of the legs of the U are such as to allow for trimming to a beveled edge on the lips. While the packing blank is still hot, the pressure rollers and auxiliary rollers are adjusted and the ring and packing are rotated with pressure applied to the inner leg, rolling it out to the smooth curvature of the required inside packing diameter. At the same time the upper pressure roller bears on the base of the inverted U. In this case, the upper pressure roller is grooved to the curvature of the U base.

In some cases, inclined smoothing blades are used to stretch the U-section down around the ring and heated ironing surfaces are applied to assist in the smoothing process.

When the packing is smoothed and shaped to the proper diameter, it is allowed to co l on th ring and after cooling is removed and trimmed to the exact height of the U-section and the standard shape bevel is cut on the lips.

This completes the manufacture of a standard type U-packing without the use of hydraulic press or the axially nested forming rings.

This machine allows for variations in the structure of the rings over customary methods. The intermediate rollers may be slightly tapered or inclined along the packing and thus vary the pressure and direction of the roll action against its packing walls, the thickness of one or both legs of the U-packing and draw the U down over the ring to any desired extent.

In some cases on certain leather tannages, it is advisable to cut the belt lap slightly smaller than the circumferences of the outer leg, rolling first with the lap length spacers left out of the sizing ring. The packing ring enlarges in diameter and circumference slightly in the rolling process. Then the lap length sections of required length are determined and inserted in the ring, according to the character of the leather and its action under the rolling pressure before the final rolling.

It has been mentioned that the rollers in some cases may be tapered. Another variation on that order is to provide for slight adjustment of the rollers away from true vertical position. In the manufacture of packings having a small or medium small diameters, it is not necessary to use all the rollers, the main pressure rollers and one or two of the auxiliary rollers being suificient.

The pairs of rollers are uniformly spaced around the circle no matter what diameter of ring is used. When medium large and larger packings are rolled, the main, auxiliary and intermediate rollers are all employed. The main and auxiliary rollers are 120 apart and the intermediate 60 from the main and auxiliary rollers.

The motor and shafts driven thereby are reversible, so that the rolling may take place back and forth over a rough spot and also may roll with the lap directly, whether the packing is set on the sizing ring or under it.

Some of the advantages this machine are:

1. Strip stock may be used in the most economical manner with practically no waste.

2. There is greater uniformity in the packing section due to reduced stresses in the forming operation.

3. U-packings can be reinforced at wearing points.

4-. Production can be increased and costs reduced.

5. Preformed helical stock may be kept on hand and quickly made into finished packings of any diameter called for by this machine, which then functions merely as a finishing or sizing machine.

6. New combinations of materials may be readily employed to overcome some of the disadvantages of customary leather packings.

7. Special non-porous materials can be incorporated between plies of the reinforced U-packings to insure lasting seal qualities and to hold volatile solvents which ordinarily dissolve the waxes in packings.

8. Large diameter packings can be made stable with the use of softer waxes insuring a quicker seal and longer leak-proof service than is now possible with the single wall packing which must depend to some extent on the wax hardness for its resistance to bending and kinking in shipment and storage.

I claim:

1. A machine for the production and finishing of packing rings comprising a table, a ring supported on said table for receiving packing material, a series of pairs of pressure rollers for cooppossible in the use of crating with said ring and mounted on said table for relative radial adjustment from a common center.

2. A packing ring forming machine including a rolling head comprising a pair of parallel pressure rollers, one of which is adjustable toward and away from the other roller, and a pressure roller on an axis perpendicular to the axes of said parallel rollers, means for adjusting said lastmentioned roller toward and away from said parallel rollers, a common drive means for said rollers, and a packing material receiving ring passing between all of said rollers.

3. In a packing ring forming machine, a sizing ring for receiving material to be operated upon, a pair of pressure rollers for cooperating with said ring, means for driving one of said rollers, one of said rollers being compounded to include eccentric discs for varying the pressure on different portions of said ring.

4. In a packing ring forming machine, a sizing ring for receiving material to be operated upon, a pair of pressure rollers for cooperating with said ring, means for driving one of said rollers, one of said rollers being compounded to include eccentric discs for varying the pressure on different portions of said ring, said sizing ring being provided with an extension interlocking insert.

5. In a packing ring forming machine, a sizing ring for receiving material to be operated upon, a pair of pressure rollers for cooperating with said ring, means for driving one of said rollers, said sizing ring being provided with an extension interlocking insert.

WAYNE DAVIES. 

